Glamour. Swagger. Preening. Machismo.<\/p>\n
Think pecs. Think posturing. Think pouting. And that\u2019s just the boys.<\/p>\n
Staring down the lane before the start of the race with an intensity akin to a matador about to challenge the bull in the ring. A duel.<\/p>\n
Is it man or woman against the water or is the water a friend, helping the freestyle sprinter make their way through at maximum speed.<\/p>\n
There is an exhilaration borne of a sprinter at peak form, seemingly gliding along the top of the water.<\/p>\n
Fran Halsall\u2019s mum Diane once revealed she doesn\u2019t breathe during her daughter\u2019s races. So it\u2019s a good job Fran didn\u2019t choose the 800 free. Or the 25km open water.<\/p>\n
Fran \u2013 with world, European and Commonwealth medals in the sprints \u2013 points to the stardust element of the freestyle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it is the most pure stroke because it\u2019s the fastest, it gets you from A to B quicker than anything else,\u201d she laughs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is quite glamorous. I suppose with the 100m \u2013 fastest man in the world, fastest woman in the world \u2013 and the fastest through water.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old also has an opinion on the male of the freestyle species.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the boys in the sprint freestyle are very confident \u2013 they have a very big presence about them and not just because they are 6ft 6in because not all of them are!\u201d<\/p>\n
Every corner of Fran\u2019s life has been affected by the sprint freestyle. When she was 14, the Loughborough swimmer bought two goldfish and named them Inge and Thorpey. After Dutch four-time Olympic medallist Inge de Bruijn and Ian Thorpe, winner of world and Olympic medals from 100m freestyle upwards.<\/p>\n
There was, however, no happy ending. Inge and Thorpey succumbed to a watery grave. \u201cMy mum accidentally killed them \u2013 their scales fell off.\u201d<\/p>\n
While that may be a fishy tale, Fran remains a student of the sprint.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to put it out there – I think freestyle is the hardest stroke to be good at because everybody learns to do it first and everybody does it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it is highly competitive, probably more competitive than any other stroke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to be very regimented in it. I overthink it. If I get anything in my head about my freestyle I\u2019m like I\u2019ve got to get this right.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerfectionists \u2013 that is the word I am looking for.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I am not organised, I am very scatty when it comes to everything else apart from when I am focused on what I am doing in the pool.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we are fiery and feisty \u2013 especially sprint freestylers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her words are echoed by Bronte Campbell, four-time 2014 Commonwealth medallist.<\/p>\n
\u201cFreestyle is special\u00a0because we get to swim the fastest.<\/p>\n
\u201dWe are flamboyant and enjoy bright colours and to stand out,\u00a0particularly in the 100m free, as this is the race people really enjoy to watch<\/p>\n
\u201dWe are always having fun and never serious. While others sit waiting in silence for their races, we are making jokes …In other words, we are the coolest to hang about with.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can spot the male sprinters in the training pool, as they are the ones with the big lats!\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Glamour. Swagger. Preening. Machismo. Think pecs. Think posturing. Think pouting. And that\u2019s just the boys. Staring down the lane before the start of the race with an intensity akin to …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1284,"featured_media":16604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10068],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n